Tag: Rise Rise

By JKolasch

Xanthiilus slowly opened his eyes to sunlight filtering through dusty blinds.  Squinting, he tried to look around, but even the light coming through the blinds was too bright.  He shifted, and noticed he was on a couch, with his cloak thrown over him.  Out of habit, his hand reached for his sword, but it wasn’t in the sheath.  Xan sprung up, his head swimming, and he slumped back onto the couch, holding his head in his hands.  He felt something softly sit down next to him, and an arm brushed across his back as it wrapped around him.

            “I missed you,” Saleena’s soft voice whispered into his ear.

            Xan squeezed her hand and smiled softly, the smell of trees and flowers filling his nose.  “Is this a dream?  Or am I dead.”

            “Neither.”  Saleena kissed his cheek softly.  “Although you were almost dead.  Those hunters found us and helped us get you out of there.”

            “I tried to get to you…”

            Saleena gently rested her head on Xan’s shoulder.  “You almost killed yourself using that much energy.  You could have completely burnt yourself out.”

            “I don’t remember what happened.  I burst into the church, and then I was in that room, surrounded by blood.”

            “Xan.  You killed the Council.  There’s no one left in there.”

            Tears started falling from Xan’s eyes.  “I had to find you.  I had to get you back.”

            Saleena cradled Xan in her arms, gently rocking him.  “Shh.  It’s okay now.  You did.”

            “What about Sympheros?  And Maryanne?”

            “They’re in another room.  They’re safe.”

            Xanthiilus rested his head on Saleena’s.  He closed his eyes and sighed.  “I didn’t kill all of the Council.”

            “What do you mean?  I saw the…the massacre,” Saleena whispered.

            “The vampires are dead.”  Xan stood up and walked over to the window, pulling a cigarette from his cloak.  “The demon leading them is not.”

            Saleena walked over as Xan lit his cigarette.  “A demon?”

            “Tobias talked to me after you were kidnapped.”  Smoke drifted from Xan’s mouth as he talked, telling Saleena what he had found out.

The sun had gone down, but Xan was still standing in the window, a fresh cigarette hanging from his lips.  Saleena was stretched out on the couch.

            “Take Sympheros and Maryanne and go home.  I have to take care of this demon king.”

            “Xan.”  Sal sat up.  “You know what Tobias told you is true.  There is no way to kill him except to take his place.”

            “I still have to try.”  Xan turned and walked over to the couch, kneeling down in front of Saleena.  “I love you.”

Continue reading “Rise, Rise – Chapter Eighteen”

By JKolasch

A black arrow streaked across the sky appearing briefly in front of a full moon, and fell as it neared its target.  A flurry of flaming wings spiraling in front of it, and the silver streak of a sword as it sliced through the arrow.

            “Damn it!  I need this one alive!”  Xan yelled, turning back to his pursuit of the vampire.  That was all he needed now.  Vampire hunters.  He heard more arrows whistling in the air behind him.  Grimacing, he urged himself to fly faster.  The vampire wasn’t too far in front of him now.

            A breathy laugh trailed back to him, and the vampire turned, her long black hair blowing wildly.  “What’s the matter, Xan?  Can’t catch a girl?”  She threw her head back and laughed, and suddenly yelped in pain.  A black arrow piercing her arm.

            “God damn it!”  Xan spun around and stopped, his wings fanning out behind him as embers and smoke billowed after the vampire.  He leveled his sword at the approaching hunters and waited, eyes gleaming dangerously in the moonlight.  He needed to catch that vampire, but the damn vampire hunters were causing too much trouble.  He needed her alive.  Xan closed his eyes and waited.

            Seconds past, and he heard the trudging footfall of heavy boots on the stone street.  They scuffled and slowed as they neared Xan, and without looking he could tell they were uncertain of him.  Their feet shuffled awkwardly.  Xan opened his eyes.  Four large crossbows were leveled at him.

            “I don’t normally kill humans.  But if you keep this up, you’ll force my hand.  I need that vampire alive.”

            He watched indifferently as four fingers slowly squeezed the triggers, causing a slight click as four black arrows gently left the crossbows.  They moved through the air slowly, and Xan watched the grimacing faces seemingly frozen in place.  Two men and two women.  He sheathed his sword and walked toward the arrows, grabbing them from the air as he passed.  He stopped in front of them, holding two arrows in each hand.

            “It’s quaint, still using crossbows.  Guns would be better, but still not effective.”  Xan almost smiled watching the humans react.  Only one of them stepped back in surprise.  The others only showed surprise in the widening of their eyes.

Continue reading “Rise, Rise – Chapter Seventeen”

By JKolasch

Several weeks had past, and the humans were already rebuilding their city.  They had taken care to preserve as much of Saleena’s forest as possible, and had actually taken some creative measures in building around, or with, the trees and glades.  Xanthiilus smiled, watching the sunset over the city.  His warehouse was repaired, and there had been a few alterations.  The forest half was larger, to make room for Saleena’s new tree, an oak that was growing rapidly with the help of some magic users who specialized in the earth element.  The other half was also larger, with more living quarters for those supernatural people who had nowhere else to live.

            Xanthiilus finished his cigarette and put it out in the ashtray.  The ashtray was a demand of Sympheros’.  Sympheros’ had felt he was entitled to some demands after helping most of the people escape the glade while Saleena was killing the demons.  Maryanne had sighed, commenting on how overdramatic Sympheros was.

            Xanthiilus turned and found Saleena standing in the doorway.  As always, she was stunningly beautiful.  But today, she was radiant.  The sun glistened on her skin like droplets of dew clinging to leaves in the early morning, and the energy from her tree was overwhelming.  It had spread its roots throughout the entire city.

            She slinked over to Xan, wagging her hips seductively.  He clasped her hands and kissed her passionately on the lips, before lifting her hand and kissing it.

            “I think we should get married.”

            Saleena took a step backward, shock splashed across her face.  “What?”

            Xan’s hands were still floating in the air, where they had been holding Saleena’s.  His mouth hung open, silver eyes soft and hurt.  “But I…”

            Saleena smiled, quickly flashing her teeth before jumping into his arms and kissing him.  “Silly.  Aren’t you even going to propose?”

            Xan quickly dropped to a knee.  “Saleena, will you…”

            “Of course I will!” her light, tinkling laughter cut him off.  “Honestly, thinking you had to propose to me.”

            Xan glared at her, pulling another cigarette from his cloak.  Saleena’s eyes flashed as she grabbed the lighter from his hands.

            “Here, let me get that for you, hubby.”

            A loud groan echoed across the rooftop.  “You guys are gonna live forever.  Calling each other lame ass pet names.  The world will never make it.”  Sympheros plopped down on the edge of the roof, a wide grin covering his face.

Continue reading “Rise, Rise – Chapter Sixteen”

By JKolasch

Xanthiilus stood, watching Saleena.  She wasn’t moving.  She was just sitting in front of her tree, a green glow radiating from her skin and small lights dancing around her.  Xan knew she was almost ready, and he was getting worried.  The battle with the Lord of Fire would be intense, and Xan knew the Lord would not be fighting alone.  He was sure the demon had a reserve of demonic minions yet, and would do everything it could to stay alive after just breaking free from its prison.

            “I’m ready, Xan.”  Sal’s voice was quiet, and strained.

            Xan knelt down next to his dryad, and caressed her cheek, tears forming in his eyes.

            “Everything will be fine, Xan.  Trust me.”

            “I wish I had your confidence.”

            “You will.  I’ll be out there with you, in my forest.”

            Tears began to flow freely down Xan’s face.  “Just promise me you’ll be back.”

            Saleena looked up at Xan, her skin radiating with power.  She smiled, gently wiping his tears away.  “Of course I will come back.  I’m not going anywhere.  Now, get Maryanne and Sympheros ready.  I can sense a great evil about to enter this world.”

            “I love you, Saleena.”

            “I love you too, Xan.”

            Xan started walking away, but he stopped.  “Sal, we’ve been together for thousands of years.  When we met, you joked we were getting married.”

            Saleena nodded, her eyes closing again.

            “When this is all done, I’d like to actually get married to you.”

            Sal’s eyes opened and she smiled.  “I’d love to marry you, Xan.  Now go kick some demon ass.”

            Xanthiilus continued walking out of the forest, tears falling down his face.  There was a brilliant green flash, and the forest erupted, spreading rapidly through the warehouse, spilling outside, and flowing over the city.

            Xan walked out onto the roof, and found Maryanne and Sympheros holding hands and watching Sal’s spell take over the city.  The sun was going down, and it looked like a wave of dark green was washing over everything.

            “Let’s go,” Xan said.

            Maryanne and Sympheros turned and nodded at Xan, their eyes sad.

Continue reading “Rise, Rise – Chapter Fifteen”

By JKolasch

“You’ve been busy, Xan,” Sympheros said.  He was sitting in front of a small TV he had found somewhere, and all the stations were broadcasting emergency coverage of the city.  There were several interviews with soldiers talking about the strange man with fiery wings.

Xan gently worked his arm, rubbing it.  “I only killed one other general.  There are still eleven of them.  Was hoping to kill more of the demons that mattered before the shit really hit the fan.”

Maryanne walked in from the forest, carrying a couple of empty plates and cups.  “Saleena will be glad you’re home.  You should go see her.”

Xan nodded.  “I will.”

Saleena was sitting with her back to her tree, eyes closed, and an acorn held in her hands.  Xan walked over and sat down next to her.

“Maryanne told me about the news.  Did you run into any more generals?”

“Just one.  And a whole load of lesser demons.”

Saleena opened her eyes.  Exhaustion was evident on her face.  She leaned over, resting her head on Xan’s shoulder.  “Are we going to have the energy to fight after we do this?”

Xan slipped his arm gingerly around Sal.  “We’ll find the will.”  He kissed her forehead.  “Is your full concentration required here?”

Sal shook her head.  “But I can’t really fully concentrate on anything else either.”

Xan smiled.  “That’s okay.  I was just thinking about a bath.”

Saleena smiled sleepily, her eyes closing.  “That sounds wonderful.”

Xanthiilus woke up early in the morning.  The sun was barely creeping above the horizon.  He felt refreshed from the bath he had taken with Saleena, and had fallen asleep at the foot of her tree after Sal had returned her full attention to the spell.  Today was the day.  Sal would release the spell she had been preparing, and a glade would spread throughout the entire city.  It would weaken the demons as well as enable Saleena to sense their presence.  Xan only hoped she would be recovered by the time the Lord of Fire appeared.

Xan flicked on the radio he had taken with him, and was greeted by voices shouting about three black hooded figures converging on a group of battalions.  Saleena looked at him, her face still showing how tired she was, but she nodded.  Xan quickly kissed her, and then he was on the roof, asking for the location.  Three generals were not an opportunity he could pass up.

“Sympheros! Come here!” Xan yelled.

Sympheros came trudging up the stairs to the roof.  “What is it?”

“I need you to be alert.  There are three general demons attacking some groups of soldiers, and I have to take that opportunity to try and thin their ranks.  Hopefully, the wards here will hold in case something tries to attack while I’m away, but I need you and Maryanne to protect Saleena.”

Sympheros nodded, setting his jaw grimly.  “I’d say good luck to you, Xan, but it doesn’t seem appropriate.”

Xan nodded in response.  “I appreciate the sentiment.”  He leapt off the roof, and was gone in a flash of fire.

Continue reading “Rise, Rise – Chapter Fourteen”